As voted for by you...
— FA Women's Championship (@FAWomensChamp) October 6, 2021
The #FAWC Gameweek Five Player of the Week goes to @LiverpoolFCW forward @kiernan_leanne! ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/weTOFj9ncp
LIVERPOOL AND IRELAND star Leanne Kiernan has been voted FA Women’s Championship Player of the Week.
22-year-old Kiernan scored twice in six four-half minutes and was named Player of the Match as the Reds enjoyed a 2-0 win away to Coventry United on Sunday.
The victory was Liverpool’s fourth in five games and moved them third in the table.
The pair of classy goals saw Kiernan open her account on Merseyside, having gone from strength to strength there since joining from West Ham this summer.
Cool as you like from @kiernan_leanne!@LiverpoolFCW #FAWC pic.twitter.com/igkZqMxinV
— FA Women's Championship (@FAWomensChamp) October 4, 2021
The Cavan native was recently recalled to Vera Pauw’s Ireland squad and came off the bench in last month’s international friendly win over Australia after a nightmare run of injuries.
Manager Matt Beard, who Kiernan previously worked under at the Hammers, was pleased to see her excel on the big stage for Liverpool — and has backed her to carry thisrich vein of form forward.
“Leanne has worked incredibly hard and I was delighted for her to get her first goals for the club,” he said. “Hopefully that will be the first of many for us.
“She worked on her finishing last week and I thought her touch to set herself up for the second goal was world-class. You could see the smile on her face after the game and what it meant to her.
She's on FIRE! 🔥@kiernan_leanne scores her second goal in the space of four minutes for @LiverpoolFCW! 👏 pic.twitter.com/r0bf8u3YEA
— FA Women's Championship (@FAWomensChamp) October 3, 2021
“Leanne is quick, she has a good football brain and she is a very good finisher. She has had bad luck in the last year-and-a-half with injuries but I know what she can do because I’ve seen it at first hand at West Ham and now at Liverpool.
“She can flourish now. She is a great character, I’m glad she’s got her first goal for the club and now she can just concentrate on just doing what she does best.”
Kiernan saw off competition from Blackburn Rovers’ Saffron Jordan, Emily Orman of Crystal Palace, and Durham’s Dee Bradley to win the public vote for Player of the Week.
Her Ireland team-mate, Rianna Jarrett of London City Lionesses, meanwhile, is in the running for FA Women’s Championship September Player of the Month after her stunning start to the season:
The shortlist is in for #FAWC September Player of the Month! 🥇
— FA Women's Championship (@FAWomensChamp) October 5, 2021
⭐️ Claudia Moan (@SAFCLadies)
⭐️ @Lucyyw7x (@sufc_women)
⭐️ @laurenbriggsx (@DurhamWFC)
⭐️ @RiannaJarrett (@LC_Lionesses) pic.twitter.com/TcCFDFADvg
And in the top-flight, Louise Quinn was named in the Women’s Super League [WSL] Team of the Week after her heroics against Manchester United.
Despite falling to a 2-0 loss, the Blues captain was named Player of the Match and accepted the Sky Sports prize nursing a gash to the head and a black eye.
Your Barclays Player of the Match. 🙌
— Birmingham City Women (@BCFCwomen) October 3, 2021
Good shift, @louise_quinn4. pic.twitter.com/xLWFjBT1Wi
The #BarclaysFAWSL Team of the Week ⭐️
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) October 5, 2021
Chosen by Karen Carney 📝 pic.twitter.com/9zrVWU5rAJ
